Everything you've always wanted to know about: Resetting an Amp

I've scanned through this thread, so apologies if this has already been asked. I went from FW4 to FW5.03. I loaded the new factory amps. My question is, do I need to reset the amp blocks in my user presets? Straight away my presets sounded terrible, and after much hunting, I found the speaker impedance had switched from a Mesa 4x12 to a flat resistive load. I don't know why that would happen, but am I still off due to old amp architecture in the user created patches?
Many thanks in advance.
 
mort_75 said:
I've scanned through this thread, so apologies if this has already been asked. I went from FW4 to FW5.03. I loaded the new factory amps. My question is, do I need to reset the amp blocks in my user presets? Straight away my presets sounded terrible, and after much hunting, I found the speaker impedance had switched from a Mesa 4x12 to a flat resistive load. I don't know why that would happen, but am I still off due to old amp architecture in the user created patches?
Many thanks in advance.
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Read the release notes bundled with the update. They’ll say whether a block reset is recommended.

Sometimes a block was adjusted prior to the update, that afterwards doesn’t sound right, so a reset is the fastest way to get back to a default starting point, and in that case use the Snapshot tool prior to the reset so you can easily revert or compare your changes.
 
Thanks Greg. The thing is, if we have to install the new factory presets, does that mean any changes to those amp/effect algorithms are applied to those in our user presets?
 
mort_75 said:
Thanks Greg. The thing is, if we have to install the new factory presets, does that mean any changes to those amp/effect algorithms are applied to those in our user presets?
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Factory presets have nothing to do with user-created presets, even if you base yours on theirs. They’re entirely separate entities.

Firmware can affect the sound because it contains the modeling algorithms.
 
Hmm … I’m still trying to digest all this, but where the reset is recommended, does this in effect mean that there’s no way to update and know that your presets will all still work well - since you’re either risking presets that won’t work well without a reset or you reset and potentially lose saved settings in amp blocks?

I just updated to 6, and immediately noticed one of my core presets sounded off, so I did the reset in Preset Manager and it fixed the issue, but it seems that this also means I’ll necessarily lose certain saved changes in that amp block?

Practically, for those of you with many saved presets that are carefully tweaked for your setlists, how are you handling this? For example, after an update that recommends resets, do you actually reset all as a matter of course, or do you check each scene of every preset to hear if any sound off, and then just reset those?
 
MisterScary said:
Yek, thank you for the detailed and easy to understand explanation of resetting the amp block. I've started making copies of a presets I really like, then resetting the amp block in the copy and comparing it to the original. Then I'll keep the preset I like better. It takes much longer to do this since I'm doing one preset at a time and copying some preset parameters from the original amp block preset to the copied/reset amp block preset. But at least I can choose which sounds better to my ears.
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Wow .. how many presets is that?

I’ve only been using an FM3 for a year and I have about 50 presets I use regularly (many are song-specific due to unique FX or switching needs), and it would take forever to compare all of them.
 
I make use of global blocks as my presets (for song / set list) circle around one kitchen sink. So a change in a global block in one preset is implemented (?) in all presets with that global block.
 
Reaper said:
I make use of global blocks as my presets (for song / set list) circle around one kitchen sink. So a change in a global block in one preset is implemented (?) in all presets with that global block.
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Yes - that's how global blocks work.
 
Reaper said:
The question mark was because I doubted whether I used the right expression ('implemented'). Not native english: me from Yek country I am 😀.
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yek country are good country is. Many people there are try English and is fit pretty nice. :)

And “implemented” was a good word to use there.
 
Reaper said:
The question mark was because I doubted whether I used the right expression ('implemented'). Not native english: me from Yek country I am 😀.
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Right... And I was answering that question ;)

Your English is better than my attempt at anything other than English!
 
Rumbletone said:
Hmm … I’m still trying to digest all this, but where the reset is recommended, does this in effect mean that there’s no way to update and know that your presets will all still work well - since you’re either risking presets that won’t work well without a reset or you reset and potentially lose saved settings in amp blocks?

I just updated to 6, and immediately noticed one of my core presets sounded off, so I did the reset in Preset Manager and it fixed the issue, but it seems that this also means I’ll necessarily lose certain saved changes in that amp block?

Practically, for those of you with many saved presets that are carefully tweaked for your setlists, how are you handling this? For example, after an update that recommends resets, do you actually reset all as a matter of course, or do you check each scene of every preset to hear if any sound off, and then just reset those?
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I have the same questions that you asked. Did you every get answers?

Thanks!
 
Daveporter33765 said:
I have the same questions that you asked. Did you every get answers?

Thanks!
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From other discussions, the answer seems to be that either you don't update, or you do update and 'reset' and you just need to go back and re-adjust the reset parameters (which may need to be adjusted differently in light of the update). There are some resources (I think in the wiki?) that list specifically which parameters are reset, so in theory you could keep track of anytime you change them and then go and readjust them all after a reset, but I suspect it's not worth the effort.

So, practically, my approach is that after an update that recommends reset, I go through every preset and check it to ensure it's good and, if not, I make adjustments. Then, I don't update unless I know I have time afterward to check all the resets - i.e., I don't do it with a gig or studio session impending, but wait until after.
 
Don’t automatically reset, read the release notes and see if they specifically say.

Then begin a sweep through your presets and see if they sound better or worse.

For those that sound worse, click the Snapshot tool, then begin adjusting, clicking it again when you reach a milestone. Revert using the snapshots to previous versions if necessary.

And, if nothing works, click the Snapshot tool, then reselect that model and compare.

Yek has a good review of what resets do.
 
I am a new Axe-Fx III user and still learning the basics. I saw a number of comments about resetting amp cabs in the 21.02, 21.03 and 21.04 firmware update threads. However, when I read the release notes for all three updates, I did not see any reference to resetting cabs. The posts lead me to think that the more experienced users do a “sound review” for their presets after a firmware update and make changes if they feel they need them regardless of whether the release notes state cab resets are needed or not. Thank you all for your help.
 
Greg Ferguson said:
Don’t automatically reset, read the release notes and see if they specifically say.

Then begin a sweep through your presets and see if they sound better or worse.

For those that sound worse, click the Snapshot tool, then begin adjusting, clicking it again when you reach a milestone. Revert using the snapshots to previous versions if necessary.

And, if nothing works, click the Snapshot tool, then reselect that model and compare.

Yek has a good review of what resets do.
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It’s the ‘sweep through the presets’ that’s the problem for me. I have dozens I use regularly - it takes hours to go through every scene on every preset. And even then it’s difficult to compare since I don’t have the pre-update version to compare against - so unless they sound noticeably ‘deficient’/wrong I don’t know that they need tweaking. It won’t be a practical problem in most cases, but it would suck to go back in the studio for overdubs and find that the tones don’t match.

Perhaps it would be useful if the device could produce a log showing all parameters that were in fact changed on a reset? Or in the UX highlight them so if I’m in the particular preset/scene I can see which parameters to consider? And yes I realize that ‘setting them to the same value as before’ wouldn’t work (i.e., since the amp model has been changed) - but at least if I know it was reset I can adjust to taste?
 
Rumbletone said:
it would suck to go back in the studio for overdubs and find that the tones don’t match.
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So, save the preset, the global+fc+system thingie backup, a copy of the firmware, and any IRs into the project. Or, be sure to save the unprocessed raw track(s) so you can reamp how you need.

Rumbletone said:
Perhaps it would be useful if the device could produce a log showing all parameters that were in fact changed on a reset? Or in the UX highlight them so if I’m in the particular preset/scene I can see which parameters to consider? And yes I realize that ‘setting them to the same value as before’ wouldn’t work (i.e., since the amp model has been changed) - but at least if I know it was reset I can adjust to taste?
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Existing wishes ask for that sort of information, but that’s not available now and who knows when it will become available. In the meantime, do the steps above.
 
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